Asia-ISU-Spring2012 - Turkey History

History of Turkey

(4th Century BC) Alexander the Great gained control over Anatolia, present-day Turkey
(1250 BC) Trojan War - fought for control of the Straits of Dardanelles

11 AD - 1800's

(11-1300 AD) Oghuz Turk nomads migrated into Anatolia, formed numerous tribal communities
(1288 AD) Ottoman era began with the establishment of the capital of Bursa pagan
(1453) Mehmut the Conqueror captured the Byzantine capital Constantinople, renamed it Istanbul, made it the Ottoman capital
(1520-1566) Ottoman Empire achieves height of its authority under Suleyman the Magnificent, presided over an empire that included most of North Africa, most of Eastern Europe and all of the Middle East
(1681) Ottomans forced to cede control of Ukraine to Russia
(1832) Ottoman power started to wane as the Greeks rebelled, declared independence
(1853-1856) Crimean war against Russians, British and French supported the Turkish army

1900's

(1908) Group of disgruntled Turks, known as the "Young Turks", sought to restore the constitutional authority as a means to create a stronger state
(1909) Turkish parliament deposed Sultan Abdul Hamid, placed his brother Mehmet V in his place
(1914-1918) Ottomans side with Germany during World War I, and lose most of their territory
(1920-1922) Turkish war of independence; Turkey founded as a republic, Ankara named capital; military hero, Kemal Ataturk, president
(1925) Gregorian calendar adopted
(1928) Constitution revised, removed Islam as the state religion
(1938) Upon death of President Ataturk, Ismet Inonu became president
(1939-1945) Turkey remained officially neutral during World War II; Turkey declared war on Germany and Japan, did not take part in combat; Turkey joined United Nations
(1961) New constitution established two-chamber parliament
(1965) Suleyman Demirel became prime minister
(1974) Turkish troops invaded northern Cyprus
(1976) Earthquake kills more than 5,000 in Van
(1978) U.S. lifted trade embargo

(1982) New constitution created seven-year presidency, reduced parliament to single house
(1983) Motherland Party won general election
(1984) Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus recognized by Turkey; Kurdistan Worker's Party launched violent separatist campaign for independent state in southeastern Turkey bordering on Iraq
(1987) Turkey applied for full EEC membership
(1990) Turkey allowed US-led coalition against Iraq to launch air strikes from Turkish bases
(1992) Kurdish safe havens in Iraq in anti-PKK operation were entered by 20,000 Turkish troop; Turkey joined Black Sea alliance
(1993) Tansu Ciller became first woman prime minister, Demirel elected president
(1995) Over 35,000 Turkish troops involved in major military offensive against Kurds in northern Iraq; Pro-Islamist Welfare Party won elections, but lacked support to form government; Anti-Islamist coalition formed by two major center-right parties; Turkey admitted to EU Customs Union
(1996) Welfare Party leader Necmettin Erbakan headed first pro-Islamic government
(1997) After campaign led by the military, coalition resigned, and was replaced by new coalition led by the center-right Motherland Party of Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz
(1998) Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz resigned amid corruption allegations, replaced by Bulent Ecevit
(1999) Earthquake at Izmit in northwest Turkey killed 17,000; Second quake in Izmit three months later killed hundreds more

2000's

(2000) Ahmet Necdet Sezer became new president
(2001) Turkey found guilty by European Court of Human Rights of violating Greek Cypriots' rights during occupation of northern Cyprus; Pro-Islamic Virtue Party banned by Constitutional Court for anti-secular activities
(2002) Women given same legal equality as men; Turkish, Greek governments agreed to build gas pipeline with Turkey supplying gas to Greece
(2003) Turkish parliament fails approval legislation to allow US forces to launch an attack on Iraq from Turkish soil, allowed US use of Turkish airspace
(2004) Turkey banned death penalty
(2004) Turkey signed protocol recognizing existence of Cyprus government, cleared the way to begin accession talks for full EU membership
(2005) New lira currency introduced
(2005) EU membership negotiations officially launched
(2005) Multi-billon-dollar Blue Stream pipeline carrying Russian gas under the Black Sea to Turkey opened in the port of Samsun
(2006) Resorts and Istanbul targeted by bombers, Kurdistan Freedom Falcons claim responsibility
(2007) Prime Minister Erdogan pressured not to run in presidential elections due to Islamist background
(2007) AK Party's Abdullah Gul elected president
(2007) Parliament approved military operations to pursue Kurdish rebels in Iraq
(2007) In referendum, voters approved plan to elect future presidents by the people, not Parliament
(2007) Turkey launched air strikes on fighters from Kurdish PKK movement in Iraq
(2008) Protests held after Parliament approved constitutional amendment allowing women to wear Islamic headscarves to university
(2009) Legislation proposed AK party giving giving civilian courts the power to try military personnel for threatening national security or involvement in organized crime approved by President Abdullah Gul
(2009) At meeting in Switzerland, Turkey and Arminia governments agreed to normalize relations
(2010) Debates began in Parliament over proposed constitutional changes towards democracy
(2010) Relationship with Israel strained after nine Turkish activists killed in Israeli commando raid on aid flotilla attempting to reach Gaza
(2011) Thousands of refugees poured into Turkey due to unrest in Syria
(2011) President Gul appointed new leader
(2011) Earthquake in eastern Turkey killed 279, injured 1,300, destroyed 970 buildings
(2011) Turkey threatens to cut electricity supply to Syria
(2011) Turkish air strike kills 35 civilians near Iraq
(2012) Prime Minister Erdogan said bill passed by French parliament on mass killing of Armenians under Ottoman Rule was "racist" and "murdered freedom of thought"

Information directly from http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/asia/turkey/trtimeln2.htm